trial. they claim they didn't have enough time to prepare for trial

because prosecutors gave them a flood of material at the last minute. he was convicted on 45 counts last june and serving 30 to 60 years in state prison. >> the judge can rule from the bench or issue a written statement or written decision later. but nothing is changing in this case. this is all just kind of theatrics in a way or what? >> it's not a bad argument that they didn't have time to prepare, because it was sort of rushed and they kept on asking for continuances, and the judge -- because i was covering that trial, and the judge denied every single request. but with so many boys coming forward, i mean, so many allegations, the convictions on so many different counts, i can't imagine that any judge in this country, given what we all heard, would overturn a conviction and set jerry sandusky free. i mean, maybe he'll get something. >> to use a football analogy, this is his hail mary legal maneuver? >> i any so.

in other news this morning, the city of boston has declared a public health emergency because of the rapidly spreading flu virus. the city confirmed about 700 cases, compared to just 70 of all of last season. hospitals estimate that 1500 patients with flu-like symptoms have shown up since december. >> it's really been a problem for us is the increase in volume where we're seeing unprecedented levels of hospital crowding. >> it's so serious, health care senters across boston are going to start giving out free flu shots. the ntsb is in new york this morning investigating a ferry accident which seriously injured 11 people. the packed commuter ferry was coming in from new jersey when it slammed into a dock in lower manhattan. the impact sent passengers flying. federal investigators want to know if the high speedboat was properly maintained and if crew members were doing their jobs.

along canada's hudson bay, a desperate race to save a pod of killer whales trapped by ice. they have been taking turn coming up for air. people who live along the shore say the whales must have been surprised when the weather turned cold. the mayor has put out a call for an ice breaker, but none are close by. flash flood warnings are in effect for most of louisiana after two days of heavy rain. streets are impassable across the state today. rising flood waters forced people from their homes in the baton rouge area, and the slow-moving storm will dump more rain on the area later today. also, a couple from a new york neighborhood devastated by hurricane sandy is waking up in a new home this morning. burt and jean mets just invested their life savings into upgrading their house in breezy point. then sandy struck and four feet

of water rushed in. they lost everything. a volunteer group stepped in to help and showed off their work just yesterday. >> to have this kind of blessing, i only wish that young people could know all the things that we've gone through. >> jeannie is a two-time cancer survivor and her husband has also faced his own health issues. but i bet they both felt pretty good walking into that refurbished home. >> through tragedy, sometimes you just see the best of humanity. >> just incredible scenes. i remember that from october. so glad to see folks coming back. >> yes. here's a look at your weather. rainy day in chicago. st. louis and kansas city. rain-snow mix in minneapolis. west of the rockies, it's a wintery day with snow by this afternoon in salt lake city and billings. >> the center of the nation sees

spring-like weather. fargo will be 37 when the usual high is 18. chilly and rainy in l.a. with highs in the 50s. when police in norfolk, virginia got a call about a baby lion on the loose -- good morning, they first called the local zoo and discovered no lions were missing. this story is funny. the culprit was this guy, charles the monarch. he's a labordoodle who was groomed to look like a lion. >> his owner calls him a laborlion and says it's not the first time police have been called. police have even rushed for safety when he's near the zoo. >> that must be deliberate. you know what he looks like. >> i don't know. he's big. >> i would call them if i saw that. >> i would call or run. i think i would run. >> run first. >> look at him. he looks like a lion and the

coloring is perfect. >> i get that. look at that. oh, weird story. again, the owner must know what he's doing. >> the owner groomed him to look like a lion because it's the mascot for old dominion university. >> pictures worth a thousand words. the app that -- coming up. you're watching "world news now." before the sneeze, help protect with a spray.

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abc news has learned of a wall street scandal that could be bigger than the one contrived by bernie madoff. >> ordinary american investors are losing billions of dollars, thinking they were riding the chinese economic boom. not so, maybe. here's abc's chief investigative correspondent brian ross. >> reporter: as one chinese company after another managed to get listed on nasdaq and the new york stock exchange, al smith and his wife in boise, idaho saw it as a safe way to get in on china's huge economic boom. but they ended up losing much of

their retirement money. $60,000 when they invested in a chinese company traded on the new york stock exchange, that it turns out had no coal mine. >> i'm not a big guy or a rich guy. it was pretty tough for us. >> reporter: u.s. authorities say smith's money, and that of many other americans ended up in the pockets of the coal company boss, a chinese version of bernie madoff. a wave of suspected fraud by some 70 chinese companies once listed on u.s. stocks exchanges. >> the common theme we've already filed is the brazenness of the fraud. it's extraordinary. >> reporter: including what happened with a company called china integrated energy, which claimed to operate three big fuel plants in china. according to a lawsuit, these photos taken at one plant show scant activity, and no tanker

trucks carrying the fuel to market. >> i filmed about four months and they produced essentially nothing. >> reporter: there was a beehive of activity on with you day, the day investors came to tour. but once the investors are gone, so are the tanker trucks. >> just as dead as before. >> reporter: so they was a complete con job? >> exactly. >> reporter: the company acknowledged there were problems with this factory. a nasdaq official became unhappy when we pressed to know how could so many of them get listed in the first place? >> companies get on exchanges through -- through very -- look, this interview is over right now. it's over right now. >> reporter: what do you mean? >> i'm walking you out the door. >> reporter: the chinese government has sent its reaction to allegations that it was not cooperating with the u.s. in a statement to abc news, it

said groundless accusations will not condeuce to our friendly cooperation. cooperation that u.s. officials insist they have yet to see. brian ross, abc news, new york. >> there was a telling interview for you. through -- through -- through, you've got to go. he looked like a moron. are you kidding me? how scary is that? >> because of the lack of cooperation, who knows when these investors will get their money back? >> madoff's investors are thought to have lost $20 billion. this could easily surpass that. we'll be right back after this.

we told you yesterday morning about young women and teens who drink too much. new numbers show 1 in 8 women binge drink. >> and to show the consequences

of that, a new app gives women a chance to see what alcohol abuse can really do. abc's sharyn alfonsi has more. >> reporter: holly used to be one of them. as a teenager, she admits she used to go on wild drinking binges with her friends. >> disgusting. and you're encouraging each other, saying just do it, just fast. and telling each other tips on how to drink it faster so you don't taste it. >> reporter: her exploits are among those featured in the documentary "faded." 14 million women in the u.s. binge drink three times a month, and the problems is worse overseas. the scottish government is attacking their growing female drinking problem with an app. take your picture, say how much you drink and see the results over years. baggy eyes, dry, dull skin, red spots, weight gain. that's just the side effects you

see. >> for some people they use it as a stress reliever because it is self-medicating. >> reporter: some researchers place part of the blame on alcohol companies who market to women. this ad encouraging women to sneak whisky into the christmas cookies. then there's fruity, bubbly drinks, known on some college campuses as chic beer. >> these are not any alcoholic beverages that any guy would want to be seen drinking. >> reporter: the alcohol industry disputes that. they say they market responsibly and point out teenage drinking is at an all-time low and there's no evidence specific products play a role in binge drinks. but researchers say for whatever the reason, teenage girls are more likely to choose hard alcohol than beer. a sobering reality. sharyn alfonsi, abc news, new

york. >> and they are targeting women with the skinny girl cocktails and chic beer. >> yes. scary, too. that app may sober you up yet, though. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep.

we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

♪ a teenage phenom who was a fan favorite and four-time gold medalist is back in school, high school that is. >> that's right. 17-year-old missy franklin turned down about $5 million in

endorsements to return to school, swim her final -- swim with her team and just be a normal kid. abc's david wright explains. >> reporter: imagine having to face the best female swimmer in the world, not at the olympics, but at a high school swim meet. missy "the missile" franklin has four gold medals, plus a bronze. but she's a senior at regis jesuit high school in aurora, colorado, just 17 years old. at 6'1", she towers over her teammates. this was her first swim meet since the london games. she was up past midnight the night before, attending a justin bieber concert. her gold medal, a backstage pass to meet him. >> i've been so tired all day. >> reporter: she worried she

might not be at her best. >> i was so nervous and i love that. i still get so excited to get in the pool. >> reporter: no chance of that. in the 500 yards, she lapped all but one swimmer. in the 200 yards, she won by 20 seconds. we reached the coach of the falcons the team she blew out of the watter? do you think it's fair she competes against high school kids? >> she's such a great role model. they were so excited for the meet. >> reporter: the closest many of these girl also come to olympic dploery. david wright, abc news, los angeles. >> very cool. that's big cool points for her. >> no question. look how much taller she is than the other girls. >> she will be swimming for the university of california next year. so she's on to bigger and better things. more from abc coming up right after the break.

this morning on "world news now," chilling evidence. prosecutors lay out photos they say james holmes took of himself in a colorado movie theater before last summer's massacre. >> now a judge will decide if holmes is going to stand trial for the mass shooting. it's thursday, january 10. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good thursday morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> i love when you say that. >> keep things casual. it's the middle of the night. >> and i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris. and three days of hearings in the case against james holmes have finally wrapped up, and the defense didn't call a single witness. get the latest in our top story. which kind of surprised me.

>> really, not one? >> yeah, just for the sort of mental illness piece of it. >> kind of telling, though. not one witness. >> if you're the defense team, why don't you put that out there for the prosecution so you can use it as leverage during the plea negotiations. also, a major city declares a health emergency as the flu spreads like wildfire. the virus is spreading across the country and we haven't even hit the peak of flu season. and license to thrill. why a lawmaker wants to make sure exotic dancers have a state license before they get on stage and strut their stuff. >> my, my. okay. >> it's a good thursday. and then our favorite story of the day. >> it will come later. >> an airport janitor who found an untraceable pile of cash and

turned out to be honest and generous. >> i love that story. that kind of generosity and honesty is very rare. >> especially where we cover so many stories where people steal stuff. >> this guy did something very uncommon. but first, it was a lopsided courtroom scene for sure. the prosecution presented three days worth of evidence against the aurora shooter. >> attorneys for james holmes, who argue that he'smentally ill, did not call a single witness. abc's brandi hitt is joining us this morning with details. good morning, brandi. >> reporter: good morning. this case is now in the hands of the judge. after more new and shocking details were revealed about the suspected gunman in court. prosecutors ended the preliminary hearing by revealing disturbing photos they say james holmes took of himself in the colorado movie theater. the self-portraits were taken on his camera phones only hours before the massacre.

>> he had black contact lenses on and just looked very evil. he just sat in the courtroom pretty much delighted. >> reporter: their son alex was among the 12 people killed. detectives found more photos taken inside the theater weeks before the shooting, showing exit doors and door hinges. in her closing statement, the prosecutor said holmes wanted to kill all of them. he knew what he was doing. he picked the perfect venue for the perfect crime. >> he had all that time to plan it, talk about it, no, you're not mentally ill. >> reporter: the testimony included horrific 911 calls, tearful statements given by the first responders, and detectives described holmes' booby trapped apartment, while detailing his arsenal of weapons. >> i watched him smile every

time a weapon was discussed. every time they talked about his apartment and how he had it set up. but he's not crazy. >> reporter: the judge is expected to decide whether james holmes will stand trial friday morning. >> thank you very much, brandi. >> no question he's going to stand trial. i think the question is whether or not the defense is going to try to plea this out or go for sort of mental insanity or perhaps diminished capacity. but with all that planning, you know, insanity is never going to work. >> if something was so clearly deliberate and choreographed and calculated, how is that insanity? you knew exactly what you wanted to do, it just took a sickness to get you that. >> it could be mental illness, but not legally insane. legal insanity is very, very difficult to prove. i would imagine they're going to go with he'smentally ill and

let's plea this out. that's what i would do. >> considering his reactions in the court smiling and smirking -- >> he's sick. >> don't make that community relive that horror. >> plea this out. moving on this morning, the vice president is hosting a second day of meetings at the white house today debating gun control. joe biden with the attorney general and other top officials will meet with groups who oppose further firearm restrictions. members of the nra and wildlife interest groups will discuss their concerns over added gun control. turning now to the growing public health crisis, the deadly flu outbreak has gotten so bad that one major city has declared an emergency and is offering free vaccines. here's abc's linsey davis. >> reporter: in boston, the mayor sounded the alarm. >> today, i'm declaring a public health emergency in the city of

boston. >> reporter: at mass general hospital, there are now 24-hour waits to be admitted. and when you do get in to see a doctor or nurse, they'll now be wearing protective masks. and in minnesota, where they've had almost 1,000 confirmed cases of the flu, they're trying everything to stop the spread. for up to five days, you may be infected and contagious without a single symptom. on day one of your symptoms, the very first time, your fever will spike as high as 104, even 106 degrees. severe headache and muscle aches, too. >> i was feeling dizzy and i couldn't breathe. >> reporter: by day three, add on a sore throat, stuffy nose and dry cough. this happens to be day three for lawrence. >> i feel weak. i've never hit by a mack truck, but i meal like this is it.

>> reporter: by day seven, you're likely no longer contagious, but symptoms can persist, especially fatigue and coughing. both can last for weeks. yes, weeks. about 20% to 25% of the pay shenls in the emergency room all have flu symptoms and we're not expected to hit the flu season peak for another month. linsey davis, abc news, new york. in other news, secretary of state hillary clinton says she's thrilled to be pack at work after her own medical emergency. it was her first public appearance after a series of health scares, including that blood clot near the brain. clinton said she's looking forward to stepping off the fast track for a little while. the federal government is unveiling new mortgage rules today to make sure homeowners don't end up with the deals that put them over their heads. the rules cracked down on risky loans that led to the housing bubble. banks must verify and inspect

financial records and make sure mortgage payments never exceed 43% of a borrower's income. those rules take effect next year. police in spokane believe they've nabbed the naked burglar. they say that's him on security video. yes, trying to break into a couple's home sunday morning with his pants pulled down. then tuesday night, they found the guy naked again. yes, outside a ransacked apartment. he's trevor martin, a registered sex offender and he's been charged with burglary. speaking of buck naked folks, strippers in texas may need to get a license to make money for their moves. that is if one lawmaker has his way. the plan would require the dancers to register with the state. the club would then display the license any time a woman hits the floor. the idea is to get the dancers to think twice about their line

of work. >> it's good that all enterta entertainers know about that. >> every club around here they watch out for you. >> anyone with prostitution or drug charges would be banned from getting a license. dancers would have to take a class on human trafficking here. so the bill appears to want to cut down on the trafficking issue, but this guy raised a fuss when they wanted to put a hooter's not too far from his house. so he just doesn't like any kind of bodily whatever going on. >> yes. clearly. although i wonder if it will have an affect on prostitution. i don't know. >> it's one of those things, if it passes, we'll study it and all that. >> alabama passed a law like that. i don't know what the stats are on what effect it had. >> i know two states i'm not moving to. i'm going to keep it right here in new york, keep doing my thing. >> here's a look at your weather.

>> that felt nice. >> severe weather and isolated tornadoes threaten memphis, new orleans and mobile. showers around savannah and charleston. rain from seattle down to los angeles. >> where's my baby powder? temperatures in the northeast, could be at least 10 degrees warmer than usual. denver and dallas also on the warm side today. 80s in much of florida. that is actually near record warmth. >> i haven't seen you do that. >> it's been a while. that's one of my signatures here. >> i don't know that. i had never seen it. >> somebody call the emmy committee. "the hunger games" was a big winner at last night's people's choice awards in los angeles. >> but it was taylor swift's plunging neckline that had a lot of people talking. looking stunning in ralph loren,

appears to be over her recent breakup. >> congrats to her. and hollywood will be up early this morning as oscar nominations are announced. seth macfarlane will read the names with emma stone. it broadcasts here on abc in february. >> i look forward to the oscars. >> that's americana. everyone loves the oscars. >> i'm such a movie buff that i make sure i have seen all the movies nominated so i can weigh in because my view is important. >> you like to chime in. so you watch for the ceremony or who's wearing what? >> i like both. coming up next, the best song to play on your car radio while you're driving to keep you safe. and a lesson in honesty taught by an airport worker who discovered a big pile of money. you're watching "world news now."

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it's not every day we come across a story that might inspire people to do the right

thing. that's why this is one of our favorite stories of the day. >> there we go. a ft. lauderdale airport worker fout an ipad while cleaning the terminal. but what was inside and what he did with it is well worthy of note. >> reporter: patrick morgan was just doing his job, cleaning the airport. when he noticed something out of place on a bench. >> i pick it up, i open it up, i was an ipod and i look in it and there was money. >> reporter: not just money, $13,000 in cash. no one was around at the time. he could have easily tucked it under his arm and walked away, $13,000 richer. but he didn't. instead, he immediately turned in the ipad and cash. >> we need more people like patrick. >> reporter: moments later, the employer for sunshine cleaner noticed a panicked passenger

sprinting toward the tiki hut. when he was running, was he in a pan snik >> absolutely. he was, you know, i said it's okay. >> reporter: that owner of the so grateful he gave patrick $60 as a thank you. but that's not the end of this story. not even close. >> what did you do with the money? you know what he said? he gave it to a homeless person. >> reporter: he gave $40 of those to a homeless person and $20 to a co-worker in lead. >> i wasn't looking for anything. >> he's a man's map. >> let's just say what everybody hat home is thinking, $13,000 and you only give him $60. >> at least $100. >> bare minimum $100. i would say a full $1,000. that's a little crazy. and the guy who got $60 gave $40

to a homeless man and $20 to a co-worker. he was more generous with his $60 than the other guy was with $13,000. tip my hat to you, sir. >> well done. still to come, under the needle once for rebels. tattoos have become a common rite of passage. >> we'll go inside a tattoo school to see what it takes to create a work of art right there on your skin. you're watching "world news now."

there was a time that tattoos were tabu. something that motorcycle gangs or bad girls got. >> uh-huh. not anymore, though. even the clean cut young pop stars sport these things these days. so tattoo artists are more in demand than ever. where do they learn their trade? abc's alex perez finds out. >> reporter: over the last decades, tattoos have poked

through and emerged from a following to being publicly accepted. approximately 36% of americans between 18 to 25 have been inked. 1 in 5 americans have at least one tattoo. tattoos today are so popular, the art is main stream, making some of the artists cult sisters. even the guy who teaches the art got his own 15 minutes of fame. >> this is how you learn. >> tlc's show "tattoo school." and star dr. bill, a 43-year tattoo vet rap, who started his own school called the world's only tattoo school, located in shreveport, louisiana. is it the only tattoo school? >> when we started it was the only one in the world. >> reporter: today, the students get a lecture about a new rotary gun. >> rotary machines do not work

like your coil. the coil is a electro magnet. >> reporter: and immediately get to put it to worse. >> ready to go? all right. go ahead. >> and where does it go? right here. >> reporter: and because, after all, these are students -- >> it's kind of crooked. it was straight when he had it down, though. >> reporter: sometimes it takes practice. >> it's leaking. >> reporter: as the students continue their class, the doctor makes his rounds. >> that's a very good job. >> reporter: after a two-week course at $5,600, the students become certified artists. can you teach everyone in two weeks how to be a good artist? >> if someone is a good artist on paper and listen, they can become a good tattoo artist very quickly. >> reporter: alex perez, in shreveport, louisiana. >> that's brave to let a student handle your tats.

>> it's permanent. >> i appreciate you letting me practice. >> i trust you, rob. >> did you get one of those in the small of your back? >> i don't have one. ♪ [ female announcer ] he could be the one. soulmate. husband. loving father to your children.

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try the no mess automatic toilet bowl cleaner. have given way to sleeping. tossing and turning where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta®(eszopiclone) can help you get there. like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. lunesta should not be taken together with alcohol. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions such as tongue or throat swelling occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness, and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then find out how to get lunesta for as low as fifteen dollars at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep.

we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. all right. who does not love a good sflank >> i love a good prank. >> especially when captured on video. this is a prankster who decided to have a lot of fun with the drive-through employees. take a listen. >> what the heck is that? >> really? >> yes, he's actually dressed himself up like the car seat, so he's driving the wheel. wait for it, boom. he's dressed as the car seat. he freeg freaks out the workers.

>> i love it. >> that is brilliant. >> that's my new favorite. >> some of those reactions are great. >> really? really? >> i love it. i love it. >> you know after this overnight shift i drive about 45 minutes. i am always exhausted and i pump the music to stay awake. apparently there's been a study about the top ten songs that are safe. >> to help you drive safely? >> yes. number five, "tiny dancer," number four "the scientist." "i'm showers." "billionaire" and number one is

"come away with me" by norah jones. that's my sleepy time song. >> most of those songs would put me to sleep. ♪ come away with me boom. come away with me with my insurance company because i'm going to hit you. if you're driving with a crazy, loud beat, that will distract you. >> i need that. >> look like rerun from "what's happening." go ahead, girlfriend. update their classic tokens. so there is a contest. you can determine what you would prefer as saving your token. look at the choices. you've got the wheel barrel, these are the five new

this morning on "world news now," a vicious virus. the deadly flu outbreak forces one major city's decision to declare a public health emergency. >> and what you can do to protect your family if your loved ones get sick. it's thursday, january 10. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." good thursday morning, everybody, i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris. we'll get to the flu outbreak and hear some new expert advice from doctors in our top story, because this is starting to get, i don't want to say epidemic proportions, but people are dying and getting sick.

>> thousands of folks sick and about 20 deaths so far and counting, at least in massachusetts alone, which is why boston is struggling so much right now. so a lot to get to on that. also this morning, who's in and who's out at the obama white house. find out why hilda solis is leaving and why jack lew's signature may soon be seen just about anywhere. i think i'm going to do something like that with my signature. >> you can't tell me you can find a letter in that. that's just a quick little doodle to get through. and more shuffling at the white house. then we'll turn to pro baseball's decision to nominate nobody to the hall of fame this year. it's stirring up a debate over three famous players who got in the middle of a performance enhancing drug scandal. >> my, my. and just hours before the oscars nominations are announced, the people's choice awards were given out. wait until you see the breakup

dress taylor swift was showing off last night. it is something to behold. >> between the race and her multiple relationships now, i think he's beginning to do that whole britney thing where she's shedding the whole good girl thing. >> the dress makes sense. it's a sort of in your face dress. the flu outbreak has gotten so bad that the city of boston has declared a public emergency. >> and in minnesota, a 14-year-old may be the latest victim of the flu. and her high school classmates in grief, and will be greeted by counselors today. abc's diana perez reports on the crisis. [ sirens ] >> reporter: emergency rooms are overflowing. and a flu season that is just getting started has already spread to 41 states, hitting 2,200 people and it's still spreading, fast. it's being called one of the fiercest outbreaks in a decade. starting in october instead of january. boston has declared a public health emergency, and with 700 people already dealing with the flu --

>> this weekend we'll be offering free flu shots across our city. >> reporter: flu patients in ohio are wearing masks. that state is seeing an explosion of sick people. 863 reported flu cases this year, compared to just 65 last year. >> our office in the last two weeks has exploded with children. >> reporter: at least 18 children have died from the flu this season. the cdc says 18 of the affected states are about to hit epidemic levels for the flu. so it's time to protect the healthy and properly treat the sick. >> three important steps for people to take. the first thing is, starting anti-viral medication. the second thing, make a sick room. lastly, disinfect. >> reporter: things are likely only to get worse. there's still five more weeks before the end of the flu season. diana perez, abc news, new york. >> unbelievable. but again, i'm surprised so many people didn't get the flu shot. children, i mean, my aunt is a

teacher in manhattan. she was saying almost half of her class is out with the flu. >> incredible. listen to this. a new jersey 4-year-old has been home from school since thursday. not because he's sick but because his parents refuse to give him the shot and the school is like, until you get one, do not come back. so the kid is not sick, but the cool is keeping him at home because he has not gotten the shot yet. >> i wonder why parents don't want to give their children the flu shot. there are all these urban legends out there that say you'll get sick from the flu shot. but that's just really not true. i mean, i made sure my children had it. >> apparently this young man i was talking about has an egg allergy, so he cannot take the shot. >> that's different. >> it's legit. but they say without the shot he can't go back to school until april. come on now. it's getting really tricky out there. but not everyone can take the

shot. that is important to remember. well, there's new hope in the battle against a deadly form of cancer in women. the pap test now routinely used to detect kerve call cancer may one day be able to detect cancer of the uterus and ovaries, as well. researchers are developing dna tests to uncover signs of tumors. survival rates are low, because early detection is difficult. now to the white house, where at least four cabinet e l the labor secretary. hilda solis plans to return home to california. mr. obama called her a tireless champion for working families during the worst economic downturn since the depression. business groups criticized her for not doing enough to promote jobs. she is the first hispanic woman to be a cabinet secretary. no word yet on who exactly will replace her, but president obama could announce his new pick for treasury secretary as soon as today. jack lew is reportedly the current's -- could be his

nominee. he's currently the chief of staff, also a former budget director, as well. insiders say he's the best person to take on the many looming battles with congress that are coming up, including the battles over the debt ceiling and those pending budget cuts. if confirmed, you'll be seeing a lot more of this. that is jack lew's looping signature on every new green back that is printed. it's been described as a slinky that lost its spring. lew says he'll make his name more legible if he does get the job. and vice president joe biden meets with the nra today as the debate over gun violence intensifies. it could be a tough sell since the group already says it opposes any new restrictions. among those speaking out is new york's governor. andrew cuomo is urging lawmakers in his state to close loopholes on the state's assault weapons ban. >> this is not taking away people's guns. i own a gun. i own a remington shotgun.

i've hunted. i've shot. that's not what this is about. it is about ending the unnecessary risk of high capacity assault rifles. that's what this is about. >> he was quite fired up today. yesterday rather. results of a new study are sure to fuel the already intense debate over guns. the u.s. sees far more violent deaths than any other wealthy nation. due in part to the widespread possession of firearms and the practice of storing them unlocked at home. in other news this morning, accused aurora theater shooter james holmes smiled and even smirked at disturbing self-portraits and images of weapons shown in court yesterday. it marks the first time he's shown any emotion at all during the preliminary hearing. the photos include one of holmes sticking his tongue out on either side of his head are curls of red hair protruding up that look like horns.

a judge decides friday if the case will go to trial. today, the federal government is unveiling new mortgage rules to make sure bank customers can afford the homes they're buying. the rules crack down on risky loans that led to the housing bubble. banks must make sure payments never exceed 43% of a borrower's income. the rules take effect next year. >> hopefully not create a bubble. like the one that got us into the mess. so some new rules. insurance giant aig will not sue the government after all for bailing it out. the board of directors were asked to join a lawsuit that claims the government hurt aig's stockholders by paying too little in the deal. the federal reserve paid $182 billion to keep aig from bankruptcy in 2008. aig in fact has paid it back and taxpayers came out on top $22 billion in profit from that deal. >> probably a smart decision by aig, huh? >> yeah.

come on, don't bite the head that kept you alive. it's showtime today at the san diego zoo. the 5-month-old panda cub meets the public for the first time. reporters got the sneak peek yesterday as he checked out the panda enclosure and tried to play with his mom. >> the panda was born in july and has gone through 20 medical checkups since then. zookeepers say he's ready for his closeup. he's the sixth cub born to his mother at the san diego zoo since 1999. interesting stat here. more cubs have been born at that zoo than any other facility in the world outside of china. >> wow. >> san diego, they've got the pandas busy. >> they're very cute right now. but they are wild animals, and he's going to be huge. >> absolutely. and endangered, as well. only about 1,600 are believed to remain in the wild in china. fewer than 300 in captivity.

so these are critically endangered little guys. >> what i love is the name means little gift. >> we like that. welcome to the world. coming up, the famous movie star who hijacked a morning news show. and the surprising reason why a mother waxed her 3-year-old's eyebrows. you're watching "world news now." her 3-year-old's eyebrows. you're watching "world news now." i'm only in my 60's... i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i looked at my options. then i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call now and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan,

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welcome back, everybody. the ceo of microsoft and a san francisco hedge fund manager are heading a group of investors who want to buy the sacramento kings and move them to seattle. the group has offered $500 million to buy the nba franchise. the family that owns the team are struggling because their casino franchise took a big hit. seattle used to have the supersonics, but that team left back in 2008 for oklahoma city, and were renamed the thunder. three of baseball's biggest names have been shut out of the hall of fame. it's the big huge hit for barry bonds, sammy sosa and roger clemens, who were caught up in a scandal. abc's david kerley has more. >> reporter: it is where the names of the great reside. ruth, williams, robinson, dimaggio. but for the first time in two decades no names will be added

to the halls at cooperstown. no to pitcher roger clemens. no to barry bonds. he hit a record 71 home runs in one season. no to sammy sosa, the fifth player to ever hit more than 600 home runs. but all were suspected of using steroids or performance enhancing drugs. >> if there's any connection, real or imagined to performance enhancing drugs, they're just not getting the writer's vote. >> reporter: it is the country's baseball writers who vote. one of them said this was a message loud and clear on steroids. it follows years of trials and hearings. >> let me be clear, i've never taken steroids or hgh. >> reporter: the reaction was swift. hall of fame player mike schmidt said, this generation got rich. seems there was a price to pay. but the head of the players union said to penalize players exonerated in legal proceedings and others never implicated is simply unfair. >> cooperstown has always been to me a jubilant place full of joy and i don't think it will

ever be that anymore because of the specter of steroids. >> reporter: clemens and bonds have 14 years of eligibility. to find out whether the door to the hall will be open to them. david kerley, abc news, washington. >> and that brings us to our facebook question of the day. >> yes, here we go. what's your opinion of the baseball hall of fame decision. let us know. this is one of those, at least from my perspective, a gray area issue. i don't think there's a right or wrong answer in this one. >> i don't know. it's not gray for me. you cheat, you're not a hall of famer. i'm rules girls. i follow the rules. always have. >> that's it, huh? >> the law is the law, the rules are the rules. you can't take performance enhancing drugs to the detriment of the other people, because the playing field is not even. and then you bust it out.

you're so fantastic and now you're going to get an award for it? no. >> but the problem is bigger than those who got caught? >> of course it is. >> judge judy has spoken. coming up next, take a look at a legal document in the middle of a $5 million celebrity dispute. >> and the big winners at last night's people's choice awards, coming up next in "the skinny."

♪ skinny, so skinny skinny in the house! >> yes, it is. it's time for "the skinny" and people's choice awards were last night and there were some pretty big winners. katy perry, she's having a good year. she always has a good year. she won three awards. favorite female artist, pop artist and her video "part of me" also won. jennifer lawrence of "hunger games," two awards and "hunger games" hop five awards. and her awards were favorite movie actress in "face of heroism." and then taylor swift. she received one award for the favorite country music artist. but that dress! taylor, taylor.

that dress just sort of overshadowed everything. like look at jennifer's dress in comparison. it's like okay, that looks nice. even katy. >> that is very conservative for her. taylor was out there. let's give an award to the double sided tape. >> so big night, people's choice awards. >> donald trump back in the news. he made a big deal out of the president's birth certificate and then came back in october and said i'll donate millions to the charity of your choice. now give me your college records. the obama administration didn't respond to that at all. but comedian bill maher did. he went on the "tonight" show in light of what trump did and said i'll donate $5 million to a charity if trump can prove he's not the spawn of his mother having sex with an orangutan. so he took a nasty swipe at the donald. now guess what? the donald sent a copy of his birth certificate to bill maher.

there's donald's birth certificate. and donald is saying write that $5 million to charity. >> it was a joke, trump. it's bill maher. >> interesting. >> never lose your sense of humor. >> those are two media -- not media bashful guys. that is not over. >> mark wahlberg, he has so many talents, especially in the chest area, very talented. but if he loses his day job as a movie star, he could be a tv anchor. look at that. he basically just bum rushed the weather forecast here at a local news station. so that's making news, the weatherman. >> having a little fun at the local media's experience. we should have some celebrity cameos on this show. and let's end on a good note. robin roberts tweeted out something yesterday saying she's getting great news about her

recovery and says in the coming days, "gma" will give you details about my return. i'm so excited. thank you for your patience and continued prayers. all will be serene in 2013. come on home, robin. erene in 2013. come on home, robin. intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you can't get back to sleep. it's an effective sleep medicine you don't take before bedtime. take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo and you're fully awake. driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day

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extremes. that some moms will go to make their daughters look pretty. but some say farrah abraham went a little too far. >> that's mommy's. >> reporter: after trying to wax and then pluck her 3-year-old daughter's eyebrows. abraham sat down with abc news to explain why she did it. >> people just kept commenting on a unibrow. and i was like, maybe i am letting it go too far. >> reporter: she says her 3-year-old faced so much criticism, she thought waxing was the only option. >> what i said is who is going to pluck your eyebrows because there's too much hair there. >> reporter: but when the wax didn't work, she waited for sophia to go to sleep and plucked her brows. the 20-year-old mom recently underwent her own makeover. she's reportedly had a breast augmentation, a nose job, and a chin implant.

some calling her obsessed with her physical appearance. claiming she's projecting her desires onto her daughter. >> cosmetic surgeries to me are something that is way different from plucking your eyebrows. >> reporter: as for her daughter, dermatologists say the earliest plucking should begin is at age 7 or 8. >> at 3 years old, the skin is very sensitive and delicate. to wax the skin of a 3-year-old, you have a higher risk of creating a burn. >> if i can help my daughter in a little way by just plucking a few hairs, i think i did something right. i would never put hot wax on her. >> reporter: she says she and her daughter are both proud of her new eyebrows. abbie boudreau, abc news, los angeles. >> just protecting her daughter from getting bullied. i can't of get it. >> i'm not sure, at 3? she's a baby. >> talk amongst yourselves. i can't of get it. >> 3? she's a baby. >> talk amongst yourselves.